The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-06-25


between the two editors there existed, as
the American well knew, an internecine
feud. Mr.. Walkers last threat had, there
fore, oil the effect which that gentleman
expected. Fripp suddenly remembered
that polteness costs nothing, and requested
his visitor to explain his plan more fully.
"That Is soon DONE" said Mr. Walker.
"The thing Is simplicity itself. All you
have TO do is to libel me in the Specn'aior."
"Libel youl" exclaimed the ustonished
editor.
"Libel the Great Indian Rcmedy-its the
same thing. bring my action against you
For obvious reasons, each OF us conducts
his own case, and II we don't puff ourselves
and the Spectator and the remedy on a
scale never before attempted, call me"
"What about costs'" asked Fripp,
impressed in spite of himself by the idea.
"Costs won't come to much. No counsel's
fees, you observe. AS for the rest, II you
win, you are all right. IL you don't1 give
you beforehand any security you like for
the amount of your costs"
"And suppose you recover damages"
II sha'n't go for heavy damages-only
want to vindicate my character and clear
the reputation of the remedy But, in case
they give me n verdict, we can have an
agreement before we begin, which will
CONcT COStS anu uaInageS, JOO, IL yOu llhc,
| so as to make you safe"
Fripp considered. He was fully alive to
| the value of a sensational libel case, and
Mr.. Walkers plan seemed to offer all this
advantage, with minimum of risk and
cost Besides this, he was growing desper-
ate under the failure of his venture, and
felt that he could afford to miss no chance
of bringing tho Spectator before the pu bile.
| He therefore condescended to discuss the
proposal ut some length, and before they
| parted the two gentlemen had arrived at a
pretty clear understanding.
Within a few weeks of the foregoing con-
versation, the attention of every one in the
| kingdom who was likely to have money to
invest-especially country clergymen and
| ladies' of independent means-was directed
to the prospectus of the Watha Company,
| limited. The object of this enterprise was
to purchase from Messrs. Walker IL Gutesch-
windel, of Chicago and London, all their
rights in the Great Indian Remedy. The
prospectus was eloquent on the world.
famed virtues of the remedy, the secret OF
which, it appeared, had been acquired by
Herr Guteschwindel, at enormous cost and
| personal danger, from the medicine men of
| the great Choctaw tribe. Among the
directors, were several peers whose names
were household words in the city, together
| with officers of high rank in the army and
navy equally known to fame. Altogether
the prospectus was highly attractive
| document, and was received with various
degrees Of favor by those portions of the
press which interest themselves in such
| matters.
There was one journal, however, which
selected the Watha Company for unmeas-
ured denunciation, and that journal was the
Lab. ..1o ,.,1a ..l
paragraph after paragraph DR.. Fripp de.
clared the promotion of the company to be
fraud, and Silas p. Walker no better than
a swindler. The Great Indian Remedy, he
asserted, was Il filthy concocton likely to
kill quite as many people as it cured; the
testimonials were forgeries; the miraculous
cures were invented by Silas P. Walker
AS for the great Guteschwindel and his ad.
ventures among the Choctaws, the Doctor
held them up to derision, and even went SC
far as to doubt whether the famous traveller
had ever existed in the flesh. All this was
very funny. and Fripp was highly gratified
at the success Of his scheme when he found
that the circulation of the Spectator was
looking up. But it was sort OF thing
which no man who valued his reputation
not even . company-pr y-promoter-could sit
quiet under. No one was, therefore, in the
|
Walker had commenced an action against
the Spectator for libel.
The interval before the case came on fol
trial was not neglected by either of the
parties to the action. So successful, il
!. fact, were they in drawing public atten
ton to their dispute that when at last Mr.
Justice Littleknapp and special jury tool
their places to try Walker vs. Fripp there
was every indication in court of an impend
ing ca,sse ceiebre. The public galleries were
pretty full; tho seats allotted to witnesses
were packed to suffocation with motley
crowd of every age, rank and nationality
while, to the qualification of the sight
seers, several eminent ornaments Of Church
and State were accommodated with scat:
upon the bench.
No sooner was the case called on thar
Silas P. Walker was on his legs and there
he remained for two or three hours. Those
who are curious to learn what he said may
do so in the files of the Spectator, where
(by agreement between the parties) the
trial was reported verbatim. Enough fol
the present to say that, having described
Herr Guteschwindel's great discovery, thu
miraculous cures wrought by it, and the
origin Of the libel, which he traced to un
scrupulous quacks, who saw their nostrum!
threatened with extinction, Mr.. Walker
, proceeded to call his witnesses. He would
begin, he said, with those who he knew
attended at some inconvenience. Accord
ingly, he called the Archbishop Of Lam
beth, and, amid breathless interest hi!
Grace was sworn on the bench-gaiterl
and ALL
ssWhat can the Archbishop prove in thi.
casel" asked Mr.. Justice Littleknapp, who
on principle, always slept through tn,
opening speech, but woke up with marvel
GUS dexterity when the first witness wa.
, called.
~ may say that have asked Mr.. Wake
the same question, my Lord" said tn
Archbishop. ~ attend on subpoena, but
confess that do not know -"
"My Lord, as have told the jury" sait
, Mr.. Walker, "this is case of vast publi
, Importance, in which the happiness of mil
| lions of suffering humanity is at stake
For that reason, have felt it a public dut
! to procure the very highest evidence oh
: tainable."
| "But what does the Archbishop knoy
, about your medicine!" asked the Judge.
''That is just what am going toa SIX him
my Lord. Have you," said Mr. Walker
turning to the Archbishop, ''received b
post bottle Of the Great Indian Remedy
~ have"
"And did you subsequently take certai
} quantity of the remedy in accordance wit
the instructions marked upon the bottlea
II think ought firstto explain" said tn
Archbishop, turning to the Judge, "that
4 received a letter from this gentleman, i
which he requested-"
~ am afraid we can not hear anythin
/ about letter from this gentleman" RI
| rIiad tha Judua skDid vnu tnlfa unv NJ IN